CCST to Host Panels on California’s COVID Response, Cost of Wildfires at NCSE Drawdown 2021

This week, the National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE) and Project Drawdown are co-hosting their annual conference around the theme Research to Action: Science & Solutions for a Planet Under Pressure, with a focus on projects that range from local to global.

CCST will be holding two panels and participating in an NCSE career workshop for students at the virtual conference, details below.

There’s still time to register (students attend for free), and special pricing is available for NCSE members and NGO/non-profit/government representatives.

The main program features keynote speakers like Inger Anderson, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme; Marina Melanidis, Founder of Youth4Nature; and Warren Washington of the National Center for Atmospheric Research.

CCST NCSE Drawdown 2021 Panels and Workshops

Evolution of California’s Scientific Response in the Wake of a Pandemic

Wednesday, January 6th
9am PST

Researchers are collaborating in innovative ways to help detect, monitor, track, and eliminate the spread of COVID-19. This panel will explore topics including: What have we learned about the state-level response to the virus? Do decision makers have access to readily available science they need?

Featuring:

Kate Gordon, Director, California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR)
Christopher Cabaldon, former Mayor of West Sacramento, California
Andrew McIlroy, Associate Labs Director for Integrated Security Solutions, Sandia National Laboratories
Susan Bonilla, CEO, California Pharmacists Association
Amber Mace, CCST Executive Director (Moderator)

Organized by CCST’s Puneet Bhullar

The Costs and Losses of Wildfires:
Investment Solutions vs. Reactive Management

Thursday, January 7th
9am PST

Intensifying wildfire seasons pose a growing strain on resources and the well-being of Californians. The panel will discuss our recent report on what we know and what we must learn to make informed decisions about the balance of investment solutions and reactive management of wildfire in California.

Featuring:

Teresa Feo, Senior Science Officer, CCST; Report Author
Samuel Evans, Assistant Adjunct Professor of Public Policy, Mills College; Report Author
Michael Wara, Director of the Climate and Energy Policy Program and senior research scholar, Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment; CCST Wildfire Report Steering Committee Chair

Organized by CCST’s Brie Lindsey

Student Career Workshop

Thursday, January 7th
10am PST

Join CCST’s Deputy Director Sarah Brady, participating in an NCSE Career Workshop for students.

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About the California Council on Science and Technology
The California Council on Science and Technology is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization established via the California State Legislature in 1988. CCST engages leading experts in science and technology to advise state decision makers ― ensuring that California policy is strengthened and informed by scientific knowledge, research, and innovation. Follow CCST on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.